So far I haven’t found anything that will send out a post periodically.

I’m humbled by your kind words. I’m please you’ve found something useful on my blog.

I am not very knowledgeable about the workings of a blog. I selected the most basic one I could find. My technical skills are lacking. I am not aware of a feature that would send out a post on a periodic basis. Next week I’ll check into it and if I find anything I’ll post it here.

Perhaps I’ll review this one and others again for another boost.

Do you know if it is possible to add a “reminder” feature to a site that I could use to have the same post sent to me on a periodic basis? I think I’d use it for this post if it were available. I’ve thought I’d offer such a feature if I ever created one specific site I’ve thought of creating and had the resources to do it.

I sent you an email.

“…for if Zion will not purify herself so as to be approved in all things, in His sight, He will seek another people, for His work will go on until Israel is gathered, and they who will not hear his voice, must expect to feel His wrath.” (TPJS p. 18

So who is right? Lee and Kimball or Joseph Smith? The sun may never set, but it may be a different people.

As far as building the city of New Jerusalem, the last quote you have is not correct according to the Book of Mormon. Speaking of us, the Gentiles, the Lord said in 3 Nephi 21:22-23:

“But if they will repent and hearken unto my words, and harden not their hearts, I will establish my church among them, and they shall come in unto the covenant and be numbered among this the remnant of Jacob, unto whom I have given this land for their inheritance;
And they shall assist my people, the remnant of Jacob, and also as many of the house of Israel as shall come, that they may build a city, which shall be called the New Jerusalem.”

This clearly indicates that the building of New Jerusalem and the temple will be directed, not by Ephraim, but by the remnant of Jacob, assisted by repentant Gentiles and the house of Israel.

Read 3 Nephi 16. Who are the believing Gentiles? Who rejects that fulness of the gospel? When the Gentiles reject the gospel, the last shall be first and the first shall be last (1 Nephi 13:42), with the gospel going to the house of Israel. 3 Nephi 16:10-11

Rober Millet called this scripture ‘spooky’ because it foreshadows the end of the recognition of the restored Gentile church. Ignore this message at your own peril.

I understand the point you’re making about the Gentile church. I’ve wondered how many belong to the church by the definition in Moroni 6:4. I can’t worry about everyone, but I can worry about myself and family.

Following are a few quotes from prophets and a few scriptures that touch on your question. I’ll see if I have anything else in my files.

The Lord’s church will stand the test of time. I bear my sacred witness that because I know of the divinity of this work, I know that it will prevail;…I know that our Lord and Master Jesus Christ is the head of the Church; that He has daily communion through agencies known to Him, not only with the leaders in high positions, but also with individual members as they keep the commandments of God. (73-11, p. 147) Teachings of Harold B. Lee, p. 379

This kingdom will last until the end. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was restored in 1830 after numerous revelations from the divine source; and this is the kingdom, set up by the God of heaven, that would never be destroyed nor superseded, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands that would become a great mountain and would fill the whole earth. (76-25) Never again will the sun go down; never again will all men prove totally unworthy of communication with their Maker; never again will God be totally hidden from his children on earth. Revelation is here to remain. Prophets will follow each other in a never-ending succession, and the secrets of the Lord will be revealed without measure. (60-09) Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 433

Then, before the Second Coming, gathered Judah, as directed by Ephraim, shall build up anew the Old Jerusalem and prepare therein a holy temple; and gathered Ephraim, aided by Manasseh, shall build a New Jerusalem in an American Zion and prepare therein a holy temple. It is to these two temples in particular that the Lord shall come at his glorious return, and it is from these two cities—Zion in America and Jerusalem in Old Canaan—that the governance and worship of the world will be directed. New Witness for the Articles of Faith, p. 586

D&C 100:13, 105:9. Also, the 10th Article of Faith

“the Lord has told us He will not allow that to happen in this last dispensation.”

If your only support is a footnote added to the D&C in 1981, I would caution you about being so sure about it. There is plenty of scriptural support that the Gentile church will not make it.

As you know, I too believe that that baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost is essential. Mormon 6:4 states that we must be cleansed by the Holy Ghost before we can be numbered with the church of Christ. How many do you think belong to the church by this definition?

Spek

I agree with you. In my mind the Lord gave us the Book of Mormon through the prophet Joseph Smith as our “touchstone”. We have an invitation from the Lord to know by the power of the Holy Ghost if it is true. When anyone receives that witness then it follows they should be true to it regardless of the difficult question that come up in church history.

With a testimony of the Book of Mormon it necessarily follows we have a testimony of the church and those who lead it. As we live our lifes and seek guidance from the Lord for the myriad of concerns we have as mortals, we start having experiences with the Holy Ghost guiding us. As these witnesses accumulate our testimonies become grounded and rooted. Our faith grows and our ability to access the things of the Spirit grows.

The Lord says it this way:

That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. D&C 50:24

I have noticed that many get hung up on Joseph Smith’s history in the blogs I have read. I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I am considering writing a post about it. My thoughts in relation to this are if a person has prayed about whether or not Joseph Smith was a prophet and has received an affirmative answer that he was, then anything in his history has essentially been justified by the Lord because of that affirmation. Like it or not, any issues that come up will not be with JS anymore and his choices, but with the Lord, because if He has told us through the Spirit that JS was a prophet, then He is telling us JS’s life is justified before Him. JS’s history can be hashed over and people can say they lost their testimony after finding out about JS’s history, but really have they not just turned against the testimony they have received and are saying that JS is NOT justified before the Lord?

Assuming that God is who He says He is and that He knows all from the beginning to the end I would say that it is quite an interesting thing to see people gain testimonies of JS and then lose them as they “find out more” later. Essentially, they are saying God is a liar because of JS’s life, but if the Lord justified him and we accept him, no matter what he did, then why should we worry about his history? If we listen to the Spirit and BELIEVE it, no matter what else comes forward, then will we not be justified before the Lord too? Otherwise, if we turn on the knowledge given us, are we NOT justified any longer, because we assume we know better than God?

I agree that having the gift of the Holy Ghost is essential and when it speaks to us, we MUST listen and obey, no matter what happens or comes up later. Otherwise we are calling God a liar and saying that somehow we now know better than He does…..if that isn’t foolish I don’t know what is.

Thanks for your kind words and encouragement.

I agree, too many of our wonderful church members in the Bloggernacle are missing out by not including the Doctrine of Christ in their post and comments.

Keep commenting in all the blogs.